Key-opening can.



PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

J. G. HODGSON.

KEY OPENING GAN.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 21,1904.

UZ 'lll/IIJ Jam G.' Hof/yuan (E UNITED STATES JOHN G. HODGSON, OF MAYWOOD,

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW CAN COMPANY, OF JERSEY.

PATENT OFFICE.

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN KEY-OPENING CAN.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed November 2l, 1904. Serial No. 233,559

T0 cir/ZZ whom, t 717,007/ concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. HoDGsoN aciti- Zen of the United States, residing in Maywood, in the county 'of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Key-Opening Cans, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to improvements in key-opening cans, and more particularly to the construction of the tearing-strip.

The object of my invention is to provide a key-opening can which will open with certainty without danger of the tearing-strip running out or of failure to separate at the weakened lines from end to end of the strip and in which the weakened lines are formed without scoring or cutting the coating of the tin-plate or unduly'weakening the tin-plate itself.

A further object is to secure the above result without the necessity of providing the tearing-strip with a free or projecting tongue wherewith to begin the winding.

My invention consists in the means I employ to practically accomplish these objects or results-that is to say, it consists in a can having, preferably, in one of its heads a raised tearing-strip with angle flanges or shoulders at each side thereof, the external corners of which are beveled and thinned by compression, thus producing weakened lines at each side of the tearing-strip, where it will readily separate or tear, while the angle flanges or shoulders stiifen and strengthen the can adjacent to the lines of separation and cause the tearing-strip to wind around the key with certainty and reliability and without danger of running out or of failure to open properly.

My invention further consists in a can having an endless raised tearing-strip with angle flanges or shoulders at4 each side thereof flattened and thinned at the corners thereof and provided with a transversely-extending angle flange or shoulder flattened and thinned at the corner thereof to enable a sharp or pointed key to be inserted, and thus form a beginning for the winding of the tearing strip about-the key.

My invention further consists in the novel construction of parts and devices and in the novel combinations of parts and devices herein shown or described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a top or plan View of a key-opening can embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2 2 of- Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4L is an enlarged detail section on line 44 of Fig. l, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section on line 5 5 of Fig. l.

In the drawings, A represents a can-body, and B and C its heads. The can-body A is its head B formed integral therewith. The head C is preferably secured to the can-body by a double seam a, formed by interfolding the seaming-fianges a and c of the body and head C. The head C is thus seamed te the can-body after the can has been filled.

D is the tearing-strip, the same being in any convenient portion of the can; but in the seamless can, as illustrated in the drawings, it is preferably in one of the heads thereof, and I ordinarily prefer to locate the tearing-strip in the integral head B of the can. The tearingstrip D is raised from the general surface of that portionv of the can which bears it by angle flanges or shoulders (Z d, one on each side of the tearing-strip, and the external corners of the angle flanges or shoulders at each side of the tearing-strip are flattened and thinned by bevels or weakened lines d d" at each edge of the tearing-strip where it will readily separate when it is wound around a key. The angle flanges or shoulders d Z at each side of the tearing-strip stiffen and strengthen the adjacent portions of the can and cause the tearing-strip to separate at the weakened lines with ease and certainty and without danger of running out or of failure to open. The weakened or tearing lines at each edge of the raised tearingstrip being thus in my invention formed by simply beveling, thinning, and flattening the external corners of the angle flanges or shoulders at the junction thereof, the weakened lines are and can be formed with certainty and reliability without danger of cuttingthrough the thin coating of the iron or steel plate constituting the tin-plate of which the cans are made. In my invention it beveled and flat-faced thinned portions of the sheet metal instead of cuts, incised, or sharpgrooved portions thereof, as heretofore, while at the same time the weakening is effectually done, so that in opening' the can the strip will will thus be understood the weakened lines are preferably a drawn or seamless can-body and IOO tear with ease and certainty along the intended lines.

To enable the tearing-strip to be made without a free or projecting tongue to start its -winding about the key, I provide the sarne with a transverse angle iiange or shoulder d3, having a thinned or beveled {iat-faced external corner Zt to adapt the sharp or chisel-pointed key to be readily inserted and the tearingstrip thus divided, so that the part Z5 inay be used to start the winding of the tearing-strip about the key by simply separating it a little at each side, which may be readily done by simply prying with the key after it has been inserted at the transversely-extending weakened line.

I claim- 1. A key-opening can having a raised tearing-strip with marginal angle fianges or shoulders at each side thereof offsetting the tearing-strip, and provided with thinned and beveled fiat-faced external corners at the junction of' the angle-flanges with the tearing-strip, the lat face of each of' said external corners being at an obtuse angle both to the tearing-strip and to the adjacent angle-flange, substantially as specified.

2. A key-opening can having in one of its heads a raised tearing-strip with angle flanges or shoulders at each side thereof oi'setting the tearing-strip, and provided with thinned and beveled fiat-faced corners at the junction of the angle-flanges with the tearing-strip, the fiat face of each of said external corners being at an obtuse angle both to the tearing-strip and to the adjacent angle-fiange, substantially as specified.

3. A key-opening can having a seamless body and a head integral therewith, furnished with a raised tearing-strip with angle iianges or shoulders at each side thereof' offsetting the tearing strip and provided with external thinned and beveled flat-faced corners at the junction of the angle-flanges with the tearingstrip, the fiat face of each of said external corners being at an obtuse angle both torthe tearing-strip and to the adjacent angle-flange` substantially as specified.

4. A key-opening can having a raised tearing-strip withangle flanges or shoulders at each side thereof', provided with beveled and thinned flat-faced external corners at the junction of the angle-flanges with the tearing-strip, said tearing-strip having also a transverselyextending angle fiange or shoulder with a thinned and beveled corner at its junction with the tearing-strip to facilitate'the insertion of a key in the same to start the winding, substantially as specified.

5. A key-opening can having in one of its heads a raised tearing-strip with angle anges or shoulders at each side thereof', provided with thinned and beveled corners, said tearingstrip having also a transversely-extending angle flange or shoulder with thinned and beveled corner to facilitate the insertion of a key through the same to start the winding, substantially as specified.

6. A key-opening can having a seamless body and a head integral therewith furnished with a raised tearing-strip and angle flanges or shoulders at each side thereof, provided with external thinned and beveled corners, said tearing-strip having also a transversely-extending angle iange or shoulder with thinned and beveled corner to facilitate the insertion of a key through the same to start the winding, substantially as specified.

7 A can having a deiieeted tearing-strip with thinned and beveled Hat-faced corners at the junction of the deflections with the tearing-strip at each side of the tearing-strip the fiat face of each of said corners being at an obtuse angle both to the tearing-strip and to the adjacent angle flange, substantially as specified.

8. A can provided with a tearing-strip having angle-flanges at each side thereof and thinned and weakened beveled and flattened at the apices or corners of the angle-flanges, the flattened portion of each of said corners being at an obtuse angle both to the tearing-strip and to the adjacent angle-flange, substantially as specified.

9. Acan having a head provided with atearing-strip therein furnished with angle-flanges osetting it, and thinned and weakened beveled and flattened at the corners or apices of the angle-flanges, the iiattened portion of each of said corners being at an obtuse angle both to the tearing-strip and to the adjacent angleiiange, substantially as specified.

10. A can provided with ahead having an offset portion or angle-iiange, the corner or apex of the angle iiange being flatfaced thinned and beveled and forming a weakened line, without groove or incision, the fiat face of said beveled corner being at an obtuse angle both to the tearing-strip and to the adjacent angle-flange, substantially as specified.

11. A can having a defiected tongueless tearing-strip with Hat-faced thinned, and beveledv corners at the junctionof the kdeflections'with the tearing-strip at each side of the tearingstrip, the fiat face of each of said corners being at an obtuse angle both to the tearingstrip and to the adjacent deflected portion, substantially as specified.

12. A can provided with a tongueless tearing-strip having angle-Hanges at each side thereof and thinned and weakened beveled and flattened at the/apices or corners of the angleflanges, the fiat face of each of said corners being at an obtuse angle both to the tearingstrip and to the adjacent angle-liange, substantially as specified.

13. A can having a head provided with a tongueless tearing strip therein furnished with angle-flanges oEsetting it, and thinned and weakened beveled and flattened at the corners or apioes of the angle-Hanges, the at face of each of said corners being at an obtuse angle both to the tearing-strip and to the adjeoent angle-flange, substantially as specified.

14. AtonguelesS-key-opening can having en offset portion or angle-flange, the corner or apex of the angle flange being fiat faced thinned and beveled and forming a weakened line, Without groove or incision, the Het face of said corner being at an obtuse angle to the IO parts adjacent thereto on each side thereof, substantially as specified.

JOHN G. HODGSON. Witnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY,

JOHN W. MUNDAY. 

